Non-Muslim students trapped in Marawi crossfire recount ordeal

LANAO DEL SUR, Philippines — A group of seven non-Muslim students rescued Thursday from a dormitory in a state university in Marawi City had an ordeal to be remembered forever.

The students were from different colleges and were in the Mindanao State University (MSU) only for short-term special studies and professional review courses.

They told reporters that for three days they talked to each other only by sign language and had to urinate and defecate without flushing the toilet bowls to avoid detection by Maute terrorists outside of their dormitory.

“The armed men thought our dormitory was empty so they did not bother getting in. They just positioned themselves in the surroundings,” said Dey Ann Castillon.

Castilon and the other students were taken out from their dormitory by soldiers and rescuers from the provincial government of Lanao del Sur and the Humanitarian Emergency Assistance and Response Team (HEART) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao after the gunmen left as government forces came close.

Eana Gaile Beleno, a Visayan, said they are thankful to their Muslim companions in the dormitory for assuring them of protection as the Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorist surrounded their location.

“Faith in God kept us alive and protected us from danger. Our Muslim companions gave us moral support during that very difficult time in our lives,” Beleno said.

Beleno said their difficult experience made them realized true Muslims are good friends and protectors.

“We admired our Muslim companions in the dormitory even more when they showed us they would never let harm come our way,” Beleno told reporters.

Beleno is one of seven students of the Notre Dame of Tacurong College in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat province who were trapped in the dormitory.

They were immediately brought to Cotabato City by HEART responders for immediate rehabilitation.

Beleno said there were actually 11 students in their dormitory, among them an Arab with Yemeni nationality, two ethnic Maranaws, and a Tausug from Sulu.

“Our experience was so horrible. It will never be forgotten for as long as we live,” Beleno said.

Jay Gee Villaruz, an Ilonggo, said they panicked when text messages circulated warning that the terrorists will execute any non-Muslim they find in areas they had occupied and hoisted the iconic black flag of the Islamic State of Irag and Syria.

“All mobile phones were immediately put on silent mode and lights were turned off to make it appear that no one was inside the building,” Villaruz said.

Rescuers and soldiers who extricated the non-Muslim students had to let them wear typical Moro dresses and cover their heads with veils for them to look like Maranaws and plain residents of Marawi while being escorted away from their dormitory.

Their rescue was facilitated with the help of Habib Macaayong, who is president of MSU, the Marawi City police and personnel of the Army’s 103rd Brigade.